The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-08

in the voice in singing as well rs i'll
prayer, and the siueerer the words
uttered, the deeper the feeling. the
further will they go toward the Great
Ruler of the Spheres they were intend.
ed to praise
Following the example of David.
attention should bc given to the
cultivation of music. and where j. the
objection to there being certain
" singing men and singing women in
our churches7 \ choir. as defined by
Webster, is "a part of 4 church"
member. then. of ono great body,
which acts or should act at its will.
IN churches where all cannot devote
time to the improvement of singing. it
is well that there be singing men
vcvv best of their ability. and it will
soon lc seen that the main part of the
congr,a cations will sing aS the leaders
do: meantime the leaders should not
soar So far alofy in their artisticaspira
tons as to get entirely cut Of sight of
ilc congregation, and aS well oui Of
hearing \ choir then is simply that
part Of "a church which leads the
music. and i'm this connection | might
say that where "thcy've got bran new
organ. Sue" it j. simply intended to
lead. not to be made conspicuous by
volume Of sound or ny playing lit
tie tune after every verse. you know.
! spell of music" seems to be upon
our country at present. There never
we've 50 many musical Instruments
sold for churches, and the old rr,iu
dice against the Church Organ" is
being blotted out utterly.
II is a very pleasing custom i'll some
churches to greet the pastor Is he
enters the pulpit, with some tender
song Of praise; sung only by a few,
perhaps, because they alone have had
opportunity TO make the necdiul
preparation. After this welcoming in
song the congregation may Join in full
chorUs in every hymn aud every
heart, as its leaves unfold like flowers
beneath the breath Of Heaven, may 60
out in unison with every other heart,
as it sings perhaps 10 swecter song,
for there can be none, than
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me TO thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll.
While the tempest stills high.
congregational singing MAKES each
participant feel more fully that he has
part in the worship and he is uncon
sciously drawn toward the throne OF
grace-if it be only for the time he is
singing The heart becomes inspired,
the soul reaches ont from its prison of
clay to the free waters of life, where
forgetting the shacEles that bind, it
revels in a purer atmosphere and is
refreshed and re-invi9oratcd for com
ing duties of life. seeing new beauties
in the humblc>t toil-tor. we know,
the Master may he glorided at the
/ pillow handle as we'll Is in the pulpit
Much new church music has been
written of late years. many new tunes
and new words been sung, but not one
of them AL can lessen the beauty or
take away one iot Of thc love We hear
/ the oft repeated tunes of Coronation.
/ Antioch, Bethany, Martyr. Webb and
/ others i might mention: tunes to
| which are generally sung: All bail
/ the power of Jesus name, Joy to the
| World the Lord is come, Nearer my
! God to Thee, Jesus, lover OF soul. and
! stand upi Stand up for Jesus. such
old, true, beautiful, gospel hymns,
may be appropriately sung ali along
! life's journey from the cradle to the
/ grave; they may be sung when our
little boat of life first glidcs out into
its narrow channel; then when the
/ trees shed their blossoms over our
young heads and the flowers seem to
golfer themselves to cur young hands
| then again. when our boat sweeps out
/ to wilder floods, and, at the last
when with hands still empty, we find
fullness only in the golden glory
beaming through a Savior's love, as
the river hastcns to its home and to
our further voyage there is no wit
ness save the Infinite and Eternal.
In JOY or in sorrow, in health or
disease. III prosperity or adversely, il
life OF i'll death
Jesus, lover Of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly;
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.
As Home, Sweet Home, though
succeeded by many thousands of
popular airs still has its sacred
spot, its home forever in the hearts of
the people, so will the old church
songs, sacred and rcvcred, live from
generation to generation and their
magical effect be never lost.
There, too. are new hymns Of beauty;
hymns that thrill the heart into new
being; but there are many found i'll
our hymn books (Some old ones, tOo)
which are never sung and probably
never will be. Some one thinks it
would not be a bad plan to select
/ from the multifarious numbers of our
hymn books the best hymns, IN every
respect, and compile these into one
volume as The Baptist Hymn Book;
! that is a book containing the hymns